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Author
Topic: What do you think? (Read 1237 times)

My doctor recently diagnosed me with depression. Why after four years it hit me like a ton of bricks? She started me on 10 mg of lexapro. Just last week she pushed it to 20. She also wants me to go and see a specialist. I am just curious, should I see a psychiatrist(who my understanding treats without having weekly discussions) or a psychologist(who I believe treats with weekly or bi meetings).Correct me if I am wrong with either of them.Thanks for your help.Fran

Franfrog,I think....They both do weekly, bi-weekly sessions based on your needs.Psychiatrist, are first a medical doctor that specialize in mental illness and can prescribe medication.Psychologist are not medical doctors, they don't prescribe medication but they can be just as useful in regards to behavior, mind and so on. Again based on your needs.Good luck. Alain

And based on my experience a psychologist/therapist is less expensive. Plus many psychiatrists do not take any type of insurance. My GP has referred my to a psychiatrist, who by the way does not take insurance, to have an assessment for some issues I am having and then will take the information learned into account when prescribing meds to deal with depression I am having.

Logged

"Let us give pubicity to HV/AIDS and not hide it..." "One of the things destroying people with AIDS is the stigma we attach to it." Nelson Mandela

Franfrog... this whole country is in a mode of deppression... so do not feel like your alone. Lexapro is great... 20 mg is not a excessive amount to take... I also want to add its Great to be able to talk out your issues... also try meditation... yoga...and some light exercise helps the endorphines keep away the melancholic blues etc... it works wonders for me... wishing you the best... sincerely, john

Most psychiatrists just focus on medication and don't do therapy. Many people see a psychiatrist every 3 months for medication management and see a counselor/psychologist several times a month. Where I live the wait for an initial appointment with a psychiatrist is about 6 weeks, whether you have insurance or not. A psychologist/counselor can usually see people within a few days. In my opinion a combination of medication and therapy is the most effective.

If you have insurance/medicare/medicaid contact your insurance company and make sure you understand your benefits and choose providers who are in network. If you are uninsured you can still get help that your state or county will pay for but you will need to contact your local mental health center to access services. Procedures vary from state to state.

If you are not happy with your psychiatrist or therapist find a different one. Not every therapist is going to be effective with every client and there are a variety of treatment styles out there.

Hi FranI dont think its unusual at all....to be diagnosed with depression. I think I went along for 10 or 15 years with no clue why I was feeling and only in the last few years have realized that I need help with depression and anxiety. It really has been since I stopped smoking ( 2 years ago) that I realize how much I depended on the cigs to get me thru.Lots of good advice from others here on psychologists vs psychiatrist. I think you need to see someone who will prescribe your meds....correct any problems with them.... and so on. But you could also have a counselor/psychologist. I think it boils down to whatever works best for YOU.